America=The Roman Empire 2667

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A two-party system can respond to the will of the voters just as well as a multiparty system, it just takes longer.

Say both parties are to the right of the electorate. This might make it seem like voters haven't got the choice they want. But if voters vote for the left-most party, both parties are likely to shift left in the *next* election cycle, and this continues until the parties are balanced around the center of the electorate.

Of course, there are a whole bunch of other factors which prevent things from working out quite that neatly, but most of those factors (e.g. mbuttive amounts of money in politics, cowardly media, etc.) are not inherent in a two-party system.

Good luck with that. Social conservatism has been highjacked by the religious right, and fiscal conservatism has been highjacked by the moneyed special interests. I honestly feel a little sorry for you actual conservative types, because despite all the huge problems with the Democratic party, us lefties still have a better chance of getting a party that represents us one of these days than you guys do.

Ahh, yes. Because decent government services are just as bad as the cops raiding your house.

-- "Those who enter the country illegally violate the law." -- George W. Bush in Tucson, Ariz., Nov. 28, 2005